This is smart.
After the Jets lost to the Patriots on Thursday Night Football to drop to 2-8 on the season, head coach Aaron Glenn spoke about his QB, Justin Fields.
While Glenn values Fields' ability to run the ball, he doesn't want to use the QB's legs too much because he doesn't want Fields to get hurt.
"Well, the thing is we don't want to make it a habit of our quarterback just continuing to run because we can put him in harm's way," Glenn said. "I felt like if we get a fast start, we'll be in a good position.
"And Justin ran the ball quite a bit. The thing is, we, man, can't put Justin in a situation where that's a running back, and I think we all know that because we will put him in harm's way. You're right, he did a good job on some of those runs. We just have to be calculated when we do those things."
Fields carried the ball 11 times against the Patriots for 67 yards and one touchdown. The Ohio State product said he'll do whatever he's asked to do by his coaches.
"Whatever I have to do to get this team as successful as can be and for us to reach our highest potential, I'm willing to do whatever," Fields said. "So if that's me running the ball, that's what it is."
Fields went 15-26 for 116 yards and one touchdown pass against the Patriots. The Jets lost by a final score of 27-14.
New York scored on its first drive of the game. It was a 14-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that consumed over 8 minutes of the first quarter.
"We were executing," Fields said. "We were getting good plays, run game was good, O-line was controlling the line of scrimmage and everybody was doing their job. That first drive we came out hot and punched it in."
Fields, who will likely be cut or traded this offseason, has only passed for 1,259 yards this season. He can't process defenses quick enough and the Jets -- playing without WR Garrett Wilson -- don't have guys who can get open up consistently.
"There are some good things," Glenn said of Fields' play. "There are some really good things. I thought he put some balls out there. We've got to have some guys that make some plays for him, too."